Employee experience first!

“Employee experience is your number one priority!" That was our CEO’s impassioned reminder to us all during a recent meeting. Those aren’t just empty words: the core motivation behind the entire journey towards our new headquarters is the enhancement of the employee experience.

We’ve now reached a crucial stage of our project; we’re getting right to the very essence of it all. At the same time we’re not forgetting that the devil’s often in the details - we’re perfecting even the smallest minutiae so that everything’s just right. But at the end of the day, after all the planning, designing and micro-managing, what really counts is how we as employees can truly start to live and breathe the new ways of working.

This is where leadership comes in. The more our leaders and managers walk the talk and fulfil their responsibilities as role models, the more that they communicate and respond to questions, then the better equipped they are to transform vision into reality. We have the passion and the know-how to make the desired experience come to life. 

We’re going to make sure that our managers have all the information and support that they need to undertake this important journey. This is why we have organized oa series of inspirational workshops that will explain how they can enable the new way of working that’s exemplified by our move to Keilalahti. The workshops are an innovative way of communicating how the new headquarters are a place we can all take pride in. They’ll also ensure a smooth changeover. And our managers have welcomed this support; they’ve shown passion, excitement, curiosity, and forward-thinking.

Any successful change requires that everyone shares a common goal and a unified vision. It’s like the carrot and the stick - if you want people to put their heart and soul into a change you have to prove to them that it’s good for their lives. We’re determined that everyone will understand how this change is going to affect their experience for the better. At Keilalahti the carrot is the actual physical space itself. It works just like a vital organ; an integral part of our lives that is seamlessly integrated into the whole. It’s a dynamic setting where space, behaviors, business needs and people meet in a fluid cohesion. Every conceivable function of a modern workplace is supported and enhanced, transforming the office environment into a lively ecosystem hub that just gets better every day.

But let’s not forget that to make the most of this opportunity we need to embrace the new space with open minds and inquisitive spirits. We need to take advantage of the new collaboration tools; we need to foster a spirit of intellectual adventurousness; we must dare to dream big. And most of all we need to respect one another.

I really can’t wait until we move to our new head office. It’s going to be awesome!